NUMBERS: One-in-five (21%) of the suicide victims were arrested for violent crimes

“When the state detains people, it also has a very high level of responsibility”

David Isaac, EHRC chairman

David Isaac, EHRC chairman, said: "When the state detains people, it also has a very high level of responsibility to ensure they are safely rehabilitated back into their communities, particularly those who may be vulnerable.

"Our report reveals a fractured state of post-detention care that is potentially leading to hundreds of deaths."

The human rights watchdog recommended greater training for officers to identify vulnerable suspects who may commit suicide or self-harm.

They also recommended handing out numbers for suicide-prevention organisations like the Samaritans and transferring mental health responsibilities to the NHS.

In conclusion, the report said there were "significant failures in communication in relation to the need for further support from drug support agencies for those leaving prison", as well as communication problems between the police and mental health agencies.

REPORT: Suicide rates with released male prisoners are 8 times higher than national average

Another report published in the Sociology of Health and Illness found suicide rates among released male prisoners was eight times higher than the national average.

Dr Richard Byng, lead author of the study, said: “Our study reveals that it is not just those multiple attempters at most obvious risk that require attention, but also those more hidden ‘one-off’ attempters whose efforts are more violent and more likely to result in fatality."